"Four Israeli military boats opened fire and rounded up 14 Palestinian fishing boats in Rafah and forced them to sail towards deeper waters. IDF vessels tied the boats and ordered the fishermen to jump in the water and swim individually towards the military ships. A total of 54 Palestinian fishermen were interrogated before later being released while two others were arrested. "
source: OCHA, weekly report 14 March- 20 March 2007 (OCHA is the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs)
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Technical and..not so technical articles, thoughts and personal research work on fisheries in GAZA
Followers
About Me
- Florence
- I've been working in the field of development, in particular sustainable fisheries development, for a few years. In May 2005, I went to Ramallah to visit a friend and stayed in the Region to work and learn Arabic. When I came back, I played with the idea of starting a blog on fisheries in Gaza to share the information I had collected with interested persons and why not, stimulate project ideas. The blog title is a reference to the film of Hitchcock, Rear Window. The idea is that through the back window one often sees a reality which is different to that depicted in the media. I am interested in telling that different reality as well as to share critical information about Gaza.
Some Data
Population in Gaza: 1.4 million
Fishers: approx. 2,500 registered
Of which, 1,040 fishers based in Mawasi area (Rafah and Khan Younis)
Support staff (repair, marketing): approx. 2,500
4 Fishing wharves: Gaza city, Deir el Balah, (Al Mawasi) Khan Younis, (Al Mawasi) Rafah
Fishing units (not all in working conditions): Trawlers (17), Shanshula Launch (purse seine - 66), motorised Hasaka (495), unmotorised Hasaka (150)
Catches: mostly sardines, but also mackerel, swimming crab, cuttlefish, horse mackerel, prawns and little tunny
Fishery Administration: General directorate of Fisheries in the Ministry of Agriculture; Ministry of Transport; Coastal Police
Private Institutions: Al Towfiq cooperative; and fishermen associations
Fishers: approx. 2,500 registered
Of which, 1,040 fishers based in Mawasi area (Rafah and Khan Younis)
Support staff (repair, marketing): approx. 2,500
4 Fishing wharves: Gaza city, Deir el Balah, (Al Mawasi) Khan Younis, (Al Mawasi) Rafah
Fishing units (not all in working conditions): Trawlers (17), Shanshula Launch (purse seine - 66), motorised Hasaka (495), unmotorised Hasaka (150)
Catches: mostly sardines, but also mackerel, swimming crab, cuttlefish, horse mackerel, prawns and little tunny
Fishery Administration: General directorate of Fisheries in the Ministry of Agriculture; Ministry of Transport; Coastal Police
Private Institutions: Al Towfiq cooperative; and fishermen associations
Key issues
Limits on fishing areas (currently 3 nautical miles)
Likely full or overexploitation of major accessible fisheries resources
Pollution
Restrictions on Access and Trade to and from Gaza
No Seaport, No airport
Many boats are holed and/or rusty
Lack of infrastructures and facilities
Vulnerable areas: prior to 2005: Al Mawasi (Fishers from Khan Younis were totally prevented from fishing between 2000 and 2005, and were restricted from maintaining their boats for much of that period. Fishermen from Rafah could fish, but were also subject to restrictions on access to their boats. Over the same period, total revenue generated by the Mawasi fishing industry dropped by more than two-thirds, forcing many fishermen to rely heavily on food assistance)
Likely full or overexploitation of major accessible fisheries resources
Pollution
Restrictions on Access and Trade to and from Gaza
No Seaport, No airport
Many boats are holed and/or rusty
Lack of infrastructures and facilities
Vulnerable areas: prior to 2005: Al Mawasi (Fishers from Khan Younis were totally prevented from fishing between 2000 and 2005, and were restricted from maintaining their boats for much of that period. Fishermen from Rafah could fish, but were also subject to restrictions on access to their boats. Over the same period, total revenue generated by the Mawasi fishing industry dropped by more than two-thirds, forcing many fishermen to rely heavily on food assistance)
Documents of reference
Blogging from Gaza
Articles/News
- Open air prison - Nina Fleury
- Peril of Forgetting Gaza - Sara Roy
- Israelis Keep a Fishy Watch
- Gaza Marine Environment and Biodiversity
- Profile: Gaza Strip
- International Assistance: BBC news
- A Palestinian Shippers Council
- Net closes in on Gaza fisherman
- Public Opinion Poll on Elections Results
- Election poll day in Gaza
- Safety Net for Palestinian Fishermen
- Hope to reclaim the sea after the pullout
- Disengagement Affords some Relief for Gaza Fishing Enclave
- The Gaza Pullout: Caught in a Trap
- Some relief for Gaza's fishermen
Humanitarian updates
- Ocha Special Report August 2009
- OCHA Special Report April 2007
- OCHA Weekly Report March 14-20 2007
- OCHA Weekly Report Dec 13-19 2006
- FAO/UNDP appeal for 2006
- Gaza Strip Situation 24 Aug 2006
- Gaza Strip Situation 7 Aug 2006
- UN Agency Statement 3 Aug 2006
- Gaza Strip Situation 27 July 2006
- Gaza Strip Situation 18 July 2006
- Gaza Strip Situation 12 July 2006
- Gaza Strip Situation 7 June 2006
- Gaza Strip Situation 3 May 2006
- Gaza Strip Access 12 April 2006
- Gaza Strip 23 March 2006
- Gaza Strip 19 March 2006
- Gaza Strip 8 March 2006
- OCHA Update Nov Dec 2005
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